PEGGY CUMMINS.

Peggy Cummins, British actress, best known for her performance in Joseph H. Lewis Gun Crazy, playing a trigger-happy femme fatale who robs banks with her husband played by John Dall.

Peggy lived most of her life in Dublin, and was educated and in London. In 1938 actor Peter Brock noticed Peggy at a Dublin tram stop and introduced her to Dublin's Gate Theatre Company.

She would perform in the title role in "Alice In Wonderland," and in 1938 playing the title role "Junior Miss." Cummins made her first film at age of 15, in the British production "Dr. O'Dowd" (1940).

Her first major film was in "English Without Tears" (1944). The film was released in the USA as "Her Man Gilbey."

Peggy Cummins was brought to Hollywood 1945 by Darryl F. Zanuck, to play Amber in "Forever Amber."She was replaced because she was too young by Linda Darnell.

She went on to film Gun Crazy with John Dall (1949).

While in Italy filming "That Dangerous Age" (1949) with Myrna Loy and Roger Livesay, Cummins took voice lessons to prepare her for musicals.

She returned to London in 1950 to marry and work in British films.

She performed in Meet Mr. Lucifer (1953 )and later performed with Dana Andrews in Night of the Demon (1957).

She also performed in Hell Drivers (1957), which also featured Stanley Baker, Patrick McGoohan, and Herbert Lom.

Cummins's last film, In the Doghouse(1961), alongside Leslie Phillips.

Gun Crazy (1949).

Gun Crazy(1949). Noir. Cast: Peggy Cummins and John Dall. Director: Joseph H. Lewis, and produced by Frank King and Maurice King. Screenplay: Dalton Trumbo (credited to Millard Kaufman because of the Hollywood Blacklist), and MacKinlay Kantor was based upon a short story by Kantor published in 1940 in The Saturday Evening Post Gun Crazy was selected for the National Film Registry, and is also known as... Deadly Is the Female.(1950)

One stormy night, 14 year old Bart Tare breaks into a hardware store and steals a gun, but is caught by the Sheriff.

At Bart's trial, his sister Ruby, promises the Judge even though Bart has obsession with guns, he would never kill anything. She tells him about the time he was upset when he shot a chick with a BB gun as a small boy. Bart's friends, then share with the court how Bart refused to kill a mountain lion for the bounty, even though he was an expert shot. Ruby, asks the judge if Bart could live with her, but the judge thinks it is best to send Bart off to reform school.

Years later, Bart returns to town to find his old friends Dave, who has become a newspaper reporter, and Clyde, who is now the sheriff. Bart tells them that he just got out of the Army and is ready to settle down.

The three friends go to the town carnival, where they see sharpshooter Annie Laurie Starr. The carnival owner, challenges the audience members to a shooting match with Laurie, and when Bart wins, Packett offers him a job.

Bart and Laurie's attraction for each other angers Packett, and he reminds her about the man she killed in St. Louis. Bart walks in during their struggle and fires a shot, Packett fires them both. Bart and Laurie run away together and begin their life going, GUN CRAZY..

Video:

The bank robbery scene was done in one take, with no one except the actors and people inside the bank knowing that a movie was being filmed. When John Dall as Bart Tare says, "I hope we find a parking space," he really meant it. At the end of the scene when someone in the background screams that there's been a bank robbery... this was a bystander who saw the filming and really thought there was a bank robbery going down.

 

This film reminded me of the film Bonnie and Clyde. I loved the scenes of Annie and Bart driving, shot from the back seat of the car, as if we were part of the action. I also, loved the really funny banter back and forth between them. Not to forget to mention... the great twist at the end. Great film!!